How to Know If You Need Sleep Apnea Treatment in Jupiter

October 3, 2018

The alarm goes off, as it does every morning, and you instinctively press the snooze button as quickly as possible, as you do every morning. You’re not really sure how many times you repeat this, but what’s certain is that you end up feeling tired throughout the day no matter what. You went to bed at a reasonable time, got around eight hours of sleep…so why do you constantly feel exhausted? If this sounds familiar, then it might be time for you to get sleep apnea treatment in Jupiter. Read on below to learn the difference between being a little sleep deprived and needing to go see your doctor.

Sleep Apnea Basics

The average healthy adult needs about 7-9 hours of sleep a night to feel awake and energized during the day. However, when it comes to sleep, it isn’t all about quantity, but quality as well.

People with sleep apnea experience short but frequent stoppages in breathing during sleep, most often caused by the soft tissues in the mouth and throat relaxing into and blocking the airway. The result is that the body has to partially wake up over and over again to restore normal breathing, constantly disrupting the sleep cycle. So, a person ends up not getting the deep, restful sleep they need to feel well-rested the next day. People can often sleep through these blockages and awake with no memory of them. That’s why so many believe they are getting enough sleep, yet they still feel worn-out throughout the day.

Sleep Apnea Symptoms

Do any of these sound familiar? They are common signs that someone might have sleep apnea:

  • Loud, chronic snoring
  • Persistent daytime exhaustion
  • Memory/focus problems (“Brain fog”)
  • Mood swings/depression
  • Sore throats/headaches every morning
  • Waking up out of breath or gasping for air
  • Trouble with weight gain/losing weight
  • Sexual dysfunction

What to Do if You Think You Have Sleep Apnea

Sleep deprivation stemming from sleep apnea can wreak havoc on your everyday life and overall health, so if you have the slightest indication that you may be suffering from it, you should contact your family doctor right away. They’ll perform a brief exam, and they’ll likely recommend that you have a sleep study done. This will help you get an accurate diagnosis. If it turns out that you do indeed have sleep apnea, then you can work with your sleep doctor to figure out which treatment would be best for you, whether that’s CPAP therapy, oral appliance therapy, or corrective surgery.

The key thing to remember is that you should not feel tired all of the time if you’re consistently getting 7-9 hours of sleep each night. If you do, it’s likely due to either sleep apnea or another underlying health condition. Either way, it calls for a visit to your doctor, who will help you get the answers you need as well as the appropriate treatment.

Sleep apnea is very treatable today thanks to modern medicine, so even if you have the condition, it’s still possible to get a full night’s rest and wake up feeling ready to take on the day.

About the Author

Dr. Kenneth Mogell is a sleep dentist with over 30 years of experience serving Florida. At his practice, he provides custom-made oral appliances that can help patients overcome sleep apnea and snoring and also facilitates people getting sleep testing in Jupiter. If you believe that you or a loved one may be suffering from sleep apnea, Dr. Mogell can help you start getting the answers you need and walk you through the process of receiving treatment. To get in touch with him, he can be contacted through his website.